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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. last — finally
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. charge — a price
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. deal — to handle
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. last — final
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fall — the season
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com